Supernatural and the Underclass 6 (c)- Cars
Supernatural Cars 6 (c)
Part 1- Intro | Part 2- Dangers of Underclass | Part 3- Music | Part 4- War | Part 5- Clothes | Part 6 a- Cars | Part 6b- Cars
Route 666
This one will be fairly quick, since I am next to ignorant about usage of vehicles in a racially mixed society. I can however discuss the cultural connotations in assigning a big black truck to the racist ex-fiance.
The truck is another nod to old American car companies; a 1962 Dodge Power Wagon. It was based off of military trucks in the 1940s, and was pretty much considered as the precursor to most trucks' designs today. So even though Chevy and Ford people make fun of Dodge Ram trucks, we still begrudgingly acknowledge their first born status.
Essentially the truck is a vehicle that for most of the rural northeast is one that will be owned by blue collar laborers because it's purpose is for functionality. It can haul stuff, it can go over stuff, it can carry stuff, and a fairly large amount of people. Trucks owned by people for sport or pleasure are sort of sneered on, and interestingly enough, it's entirely possible that the Dorian family is actually the latter rather than the former.
The fact is that Cyrus Dorian was a wealthy young man, but still wanted to be attached to the down to earth, blue collar sort of image. Considering this is in Ohio, even rural Ohio, Cyrus was probably trying to project the image of a good old boy, but with way less hard- earned experience to back it up.
The fact that Cyrus had a truck for no purpose other than wandering around and scaring the hell out of people pretty much means that he was trying to look tough and rugged but didn't have much to back it up. The truck itself is very classic working man's truck, especially with the light row on top for extra visibility in places like dark fields when you're working past sundown. Similar goes with the headlights; they're placed to provide a focused beam of light, rather than placed more strategically for travel, with low beams closer to the road.
It's got a standard cab, not used for carrying a crew of workmen, which marks it more as a personal use vehicle rather than a work vehicle. It, like John's truck, has popped wheels, and given their location, I'm guessing old Cyrus was a hunter, so that crap wouldn't get wound around his axles when he drove into fields. Around hunting season, you'll see a handful of abandoned trucks parked in fields and near woodlands, and it gets a little hairy trying to get places.
It also have a heavy snowplow mount on the front, particularly useful for rural Ohio where there's fewer town snowplows. Also, this is useful for establishing courtesy to your neighbors; if you have a snowplow mount on your truck, it's considered nice if you plough out your neighbors. Given the Dorian's big name, I'm guessing Cyrus did a lot of plowing.
Roadhouse
Where cars with Bobby signified stagnation, vehicles with the roadhouse means transience. People drift in and out, the most important possession in their name their vehicles. This places emphasizes vehicles as a haven; in the second season, where Jo beats a hunter at an arcade game, she goads him that he'll be taking a truck nap tonight. This is really very common for long haul truckers, who park their rigs in parking lots and rest stops along major routes, and sleep there overnight. This is obviously no different for the hunters who also travel long distances for hunts, but still invokes that kind of image.
There's a sort of anonymity in the roadhouse, but a different variety from Bobby's collection of faceless husks cluttering up his lawn. Whereas his has the anonymity of death, the roadhouse is more about the facelessness provided by being mobile, just another person in the stream of other drifters just like you. The roadhouse emphasizes the fact that these people have little or no ties, have few people who care where they may be for extended periods, nor jobs that demand that they stay in one place, and certainly not ones that accommodate periods of diversion from their preset routes. You'll notice that even for their mobility, you won't spot traveling salesmen or businessmen in the roadhouse-- it's nowhere to or from anyplace they need to go.
You'll notice for whom the roadhouse caters more toward: rural working class, hunters, and, uh... hunters. In the season 2 episode No Exit, the fresh-faced, soft tourist family in their matching shirts seem patently out of place in the gritty roadhouse. They leave quickly, especially when faced with several of the scruffy people shouting. The majority of people who frequent the roadhouse are just like Sam and Dean, albeit with more established connections. People dressed in workboots, faded denim, flannel, and various layers, in old cars and trucks.
Interestingly, Jo's inability to move, in this place where she sees countless people come and go, is probably one of the best markers of both her youth and her mother's protectiveness. Ellen tries to provide stability in this storm of people, something that Jo finds ridiculous, having grown up seeing people come and go.
One last thing about the Impala in Supernatural. Eric Kripke reportedly wanted to make it a Mustang, since it's so damn recognizable and iconic. His neighbor disagreed, saying that it should be an Impala, for its trunk space. An Impala can carry a body in the trunk, and if nothing else, the Impala should be the kind of car that people lock their doors for when they stop at a light. I would note that the Impala is less known of a muscle car, and more likely to be owned for a number of years, and not for the purpose of hotrodding around. You'll notice a lot of Mustangs and Camarros for people who want to make the statement "I own a muscle car". You'll see fewer, if any, Impalas.
Part 1- Intro | Part 2- Dangers of Underclass | Part 3- Music | Part 4- War | Part 5- Clothes | Part 6 a- Cars | Part 6b- Cars
Route 666
This one will be fairly quick, since I am next to ignorant about usage of vehicles in a racially mixed society. I can however discuss the cultural connotations in assigning a big black truck to the racist ex-fiance.
The truck is another nod to old American car companies; a 1962 Dodge Power Wagon. It was based off of military trucks in the 1940s, and was pretty much considered as the precursor to most trucks' designs today. So even though Chevy and Ford people make fun of Dodge Ram trucks, we still begrudgingly acknowledge their first born status.
Essentially the truck is a vehicle that for most of the rural northeast is one that will be owned by blue collar laborers because it's purpose is for functionality. It can haul stuff, it can go over stuff, it can carry stuff, and a fairly large amount of people. Trucks owned by people for sport or pleasure are sort of sneered on, and interestingly enough, it's entirely possible that the Dorian family is actually the latter rather than the former.
The fact is that Cyrus Dorian was a wealthy young man, but still wanted to be attached to the down to earth, blue collar sort of image. Considering this is in Ohio, even rural Ohio, Cyrus was probably trying to project the image of a good old boy, but with way less hard- earned experience to back it up.
The fact that Cyrus had a truck for no purpose other than wandering around and scaring the hell out of people pretty much means that he was trying to look tough and rugged but didn't have much to back it up. The truck itself is very classic working man's truck, especially with the light row on top for extra visibility in places like dark fields when you're working past sundown. Similar goes with the headlights; they're placed to provide a focused beam of light, rather than placed more strategically for travel, with low beams closer to the road.
It's got a standard cab, not used for carrying a crew of workmen, which marks it more as a personal use vehicle rather than a work vehicle. It, like John's truck, has popped wheels, and given their location, I'm guessing old Cyrus was a hunter, so that crap wouldn't get wound around his axles when he drove into fields. Around hunting season, you'll see a handful of abandoned trucks parked in fields and near woodlands, and it gets a little hairy trying to get places.
It also have a heavy snowplow mount on the front, particularly useful for rural Ohio where there's fewer town snowplows. Also, this is useful for establishing courtesy to your neighbors; if you have a snowplow mount on your truck, it's considered nice if you plough out your neighbors. Given the Dorian's big name, I'm guessing Cyrus did a lot of plowing.
Roadhouse
Where cars with Bobby signified stagnation, vehicles with the roadhouse means transience. People drift in and out, the most important possession in their name their vehicles. This places emphasizes vehicles as a haven; in the second season, where Jo beats a hunter at an arcade game, she goads him that he'll be taking a truck nap tonight. This is really very common for long haul truckers, who park their rigs in parking lots and rest stops along major routes, and sleep there overnight. This is obviously no different for the hunters who also travel long distances for hunts, but still invokes that kind of image.
There's a sort of anonymity in the roadhouse, but a different variety from Bobby's collection of faceless husks cluttering up his lawn. Whereas his has the anonymity of death, the roadhouse is more about the facelessness provided by being mobile, just another person in the stream of other drifters just like you. The roadhouse emphasizes the fact that these people have little or no ties, have few people who care where they may be for extended periods, nor jobs that demand that they stay in one place, and certainly not ones that accommodate periods of diversion from their preset routes. You'll notice that even for their mobility, you won't spot traveling salesmen or businessmen in the roadhouse-- it's nowhere to or from anyplace they need to go.
You'll notice for whom the roadhouse caters more toward: rural working class, hunters, and, uh... hunters. In the season 2 episode No Exit, the fresh-faced, soft tourist family in their matching shirts seem patently out of place in the gritty roadhouse. They leave quickly, especially when faced with several of the scruffy people shouting. The majority of people who frequent the roadhouse are just like Sam and Dean, albeit with more established connections. People dressed in workboots, faded denim, flannel, and various layers, in old cars and trucks.
Interestingly, Jo's inability to move, in this place where she sees countless people come and go, is probably one of the best markers of both her youth and her mother's protectiveness. Ellen tries to provide stability in this storm of people, something that Jo finds ridiculous, having grown up seeing people come and go.
One last thing about the Impala in Supernatural. Eric Kripke reportedly wanted to make it a Mustang, since it's so damn recognizable and iconic. His neighbor disagreed, saying that it should be an Impala, for its trunk space. An Impala can carry a body in the trunk, and if nothing else, the Impala should be the kind of car that people lock their doors for when they stop at a light. I would note that the Impala is less known of a muscle car, and more likely to be owned for a number of years, and not for the purpose of hotrodding around. You'll notice a lot of Mustangs and Camarros for people who want to make the statement "I own a muscle car". You'll see fewer, if any, Impalas.